
Loading summary
Richard Marshall Jr.
I look down, I want to make sure I can see the whole eyeball.
Zach Nini
You mentioned weight, Ricky. I want to touch on that for a second. Balance wise.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Oh, that type of weight. I thought you were talking.
Zach Nini
No, not that type of weight. About the swing of the gun. We've talked about the weight of the gun. We've talked about point of impact, matching it to what breaks a target. So, yeah, you know, I wanted to just cover some, some, some nitty gritty good information for the shooters because they've been asking us and we've been doing these, you know, once a week, answer the questions of the listeners thing. But, but you can never really spend too much time on weight, point of impact setup, you know, spending the time to get it done properly. So I think, you know, this is going to be a short, to the point, get it done. Episod welcome to another episode of Trap Talk. I'm your host, Zach Nini, and I'm here with my good friend and co Host, Richard Marshall Jr. Welcome to the show, Ricky.
Richard Marshall Jr.
What's up, my buddy?
Zach Nini
Oh, we're living good. You know, we've been doing a lot of episodes interviewing some great people. We had, you know, Charlie Long, we had, we had Jeff Wagner, a few.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Other folks down, Jerry Williams.
Zach Nini
Jerry Williams. I mean, everyone down in Arizona, people are loving those episodes. They're getting ready to come out. So that's fantastic. But we wanted to go old school today and just kick at me and Ricky and give you guys some knowledge drops. So, yeah, where I wanted to go with today's conversation is really talking about just straight up gun fit. Straight up. How do we set up a shotgun? You know, where does a guy start if he's new into the game? You know, what are some point of impact things? And we go from there. And even like weight and balance, like, you know, should there be more weight in the back, weight in the front, more weight in the center? Like just. I want to hear your perspective on it and then a little bit of my perspective and we'll just go there. So what do you think, Rick? If someone's starting out right away, is there specific point of impact that they need to have to be successful or.
Richard Marshall Jr.
What'S, you know, I believe your point impact should be where you look in the target breaks. I mean, that's how I started, you know, I. When I was, oh, God, 13. I mean, I pulled a gun out and, and it was a hunting gun. It shot flat. You were taught to cover up the target. And then as I got into a trap gun, it Was like, hey, you need to see the target. Now how I see a target and you see a targets two different ways, let alone the, the hundreds and hundreds of thousands of shooters that shoot see a target. So I always say set the gun up to where you're breaking the target. And then you worry about the point impact as far knowing what it is, you know what I'm saying?
Zach Nini
And to break that down further for the listeners, it's not as important to say my gun's 100 high or 50, 50. It's important to see that smoke ball. And what Ricky always educated me and taught me on when he was instructing me and I was little is he's like, Zach, get the gun to smoke ball the target. And I still have a little trouble with smoke bowling the targets.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Now that's because he wants you to skeet choke that light choke that I use.
Zach Nini
But, but, but, you know, and that's joking. I keep a full age. Ricky says I don't. But, but so, you know, sootball and I think Bobby Chambers talked to us about going on post three and setting up the gun for the 27 yard line because that's where you want it to be most effective. Now if we're talking new shooters, they're not setting it up for the 27 yard line. They're setting it up for probably, well, 16 to 20 yards, right?
Richard Marshall Jr.
Honestly, what I, and I do this with a lot of shooters. Let's go to the 2070. When I do private classes at times, if, if someone is shooting a brand new gun, I'll take them Back to post 3, 27 yard line. They might be like, well, I'm a 25 yard shooter. Well, this is where you want to be, right? So let's set it up here because as you move forward, you learn how to shoot the gun. So that's how I personally going step by step when I get a new gun, I go out, I stand on post three, 27 yard line, set the trap on a true straightaway. And now of course if I say I get another Craig off, same type, you know, trap special, I'll look at where my current rib is set and I'll try to get the new rib. Okay, I'm gonna get it right there. Now I might go out because everything's different, metal's different. You know, I might have to move it up a little bit, move it down. But what I'd say for a brand new shooter, say they're going out and they're buying A, a BT99. Okay, set it up to where you have a true figure 8. You're seeing stack beads. Not space, but stack beads.
Zach Nini
Correct.
Richard Marshall Jr.
And then take it out there and maybe stand on the 16 yard line, post three, shoot a couple straightaways, and then back up. Now if you get to where you're backing up and you're like, oh, I'm, I'm. I'm having to, you know, cover that target up or then we can adjust, you know, the comb and, and such, but you want to start where you have a starting point and that's that true figure eight.
Zach Nini
You know, true figure eight is so powerful. I mean, I think it's easier on the eyes. It allows you to flow through over the top. And what we talked about in some short episodes was getting too far behind the rib, getting too far behind where the beads are stacked, and you're actually covering up your right eye. So I think, you know, that's happening more than not. I think there's also a lot of shooters that maybe jack it up too high where they're looking. And they're looking in that no man's land in between the beads. And they're kind of their eyes catching off that. Which if you go high enough, you got to get your eyes looking above and looking at the tip or past the gun if you are going to crank that, you know, that comb up to the moon. But, you know, if you don't have an adjustable rib like me and Ricky have an adjustable combs, I mean, you're kind of stuck to, you know, using.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Like a moleskin or something or, or they have a. You can. There used to be a system. I can't remember the name of it. And there's a pretty trick deal. It was basically a. A sleeve that had like rubber spacers. Put it in. But you want to make sure to try because that's the one thing I've noticed in a lot of the classes lately I've been teaching is the, the shooters are. I mean, they're looking down it and they're barely. Can't see your eye. Well, you can.
Zach Nini
Right here.
Richard Marshall Jr.
You can see my left eye. Can't see my right eye. And that's what. And they're like, well, no, I'm seeing the target. Well, you're seeing the target with your left eye.
Zach Nini
Yeah.
Richard Marshall Jr.
That you can see. I look down. I want to make sure I can see the whole eyeball, you know, and that pupil. Then, okay. Everybody's a little different. But making those little adjustments makes a big difference. I mean, prime example at the Grand American this year. You know, Anna Ra, I had to do a little quick adjustment on her gun, moved it up just a little bit. She went out broke 100 in the doubles championship, you know, her first. So it's the little thing if you can't see, you can't break a target.
Zach Nini
It makes a difference. And I'm going to tend to agree with you. If somebody shot at any level, you know, I mean, over a couple thousand rounds, I think that setting up from the 27 moving forward is a good way to go. I will say that I've dealt with some people that are walking to the trap for the very first time and they're having trouble swinging the gun at 16 yards. And I do think there's something to be said about hitting it up close and then, you know, moving back. If they're really, really new, you know, I mean, brand new, right? But if you've shot ata and you've been around and even if you're a 20 yard shooter and you understand, I think setting it up and getting to where you're learning to go to that position, it really hurts you. And the amount of point of impact difference between what I would say is perfect at 16 yards and perfect at 27 might be 10 or 15 or 20% of point of impact. It's not that.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Then here, here's the other thing is when, when you're setting a gun up is making sure it fits in the pocket, okay? And, and that's another thing is when you purchase your gun, okay, no matter what it is, I always try to tell people, you know, number one, doing gun lifts, you know, get those muscles to where you can, you can handle the gun, but you need to at home in a mirror. And I don't have a mirror here in the office, but in a mirror, mount that gun 100, 200 times to get where you can consistently mount it in the same spot. That is a very important step in setting up a gun and gun fit. And that's where I think a lot of shooters, they fall off from, that is. Listen, we all started at one time or another. You know, for me, it was 36 years ago. And I remember as a kid, you know, my coach, Metro, Frank Copy was always, you know, big on and he, he did the double clutch. I don't know. You saw Frank shoot, didn't you, Zach? Remember when he would boom and it was locked in, the first mount was, okay, okay, there's a spot now in. And he did that every time. Now if it might be, oh, and then it Was in. But he did it till it was correct. And people used to always go, man, he's taking a little long. He's doing a little this. I said, well, but he's get it in the pocket so that. That's where you need to be. If it's not right, then it's bad.
Zach Nini
So. So just to just speak on my own experience, if you, you know, and I've had guns where I'm mismounding the stocks, and if I'm putting the gun lower in the shoulder, higher in the shoulder, more left, more right, I'm changing point of impact. And people don't understand that. But Dave Kelly used to tell me he shot a flat rib MX3. He's like, man, if I drop that gun down in my pocket low enough and I do this, I'm taking that elevation of that gun up a little bit, right. Versus if I put it up here, I'm flattening the gun out. Right. So just in the way that you.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Move in the dynamics, the movement of the barrel. Yes. And that. Because when you're locked up tight, you can only move the barrel so much. When you're down low, you can do the teeter. And that's what Dave. It was so funny. I remember talking to Dave one time when we were shooting together, and I watched him, you know, he was always. He shot post five. I'd shoot, you know, post one. That's because, you know, he'd be slow and people were like, oh, my God, what's he doing over there? I said, oh, he's writing a book. It's okay. So. But Dave was shooting and he got a high target and he said, I made that gun shoot hard. Well, the reason he did is he. He dropped his shoulder. Well, you drop your shoulder, the gun goes up, you know, so there's little things, especially, you know, shooting those old MX3 specials, you know, the flat ribs. Most of them were a fixed stock. Of course they're fixed rib, you know. But, yeah, any gun, no matter if you're shooting a hunting gun, you know, you want to be that figure 8, and you can maybe even get a little higher point impact. And that's why, you know, going back, you know, when, you know, we were talking to Dave about it, we talked to Jerry Williams, you know, and Charlie Long, you know, about people bending barrels. That's why they used to bend a barrel.
Zach Nini
And. And I'm not going to sit here and recommend that on the show before, you know, but. But what I will say is, is that is the Stuff that has happened and people are doing, you know, at your own risk. You know, if you want to bend a barrel, I mean, I know people have broke them and messed them up, you know, people snap them. But I think the other thing, you know, we had a gentleman ask us about pointing point of impact in relative to the gun. And like, you know, Ricky shoots a little bit of a flatter point of impact than me because he moves the gun really well. But like, if you were going to have 10 different guns, all different guns, would they all be the same point of impact? I would say no. It would depend on how you move the gun. Right. If you're, if you're moving the gun faster, you're not going to probably require as much point of impact as if you're moving the gun slower. I mean, would you agree with that, Ricky? Like as far as a move?
Richard Marshall Jr.
Yeah. I would just say this. All my guns are pretty close to the same point impact. Going from, you know, my sporting gun to skeet gun. I like to try to keep everything relatively close. That way it's not a, it's no difference.
Zach Nini
But also all of your guns are relatively the same weight, relatively the same. Like your, your equipment, you know, when I'm talking your equipment is you've got Tim Craig offs all set off the same way. I'm talking about a guy who's got a BT99 over here, he's got a TM1 over here, he's got a Kohler over here, he's got this and that. I mean, if you've got, I mean.
Richard Marshall Jr.
I'm sure different and they all move a little different and that's where you got to look at going, stepping away from that and going to each gun. The, the center of balance is different. You know, the length of pole makes a difference. You know, I shoot a 16 inch length of pole on my trap gun, a 15 inch length of pole on my sporting guns, you know, and skeet gun stuff. So everything's a little different, but it still balances the same. And that's why, that's why I love the Craig off, you know, because I like the, the balance of it. But you know, I do own multiple other stuff and, and you know, but.
Zach Nini
I mean, so, so you know, there's guys that have the one thing they're good equipment, one thing they're using that and is what is. And then there's these guys that are.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Career gun buyers, right.
Zach Nini
Like, I know, like example, my buddy in California, his name is George Barrall. You've probably Met him, we called him Crazy George. Well, he loved buying different guns and trying different guns. Like, he wasn't ever going to try to go like, make the all American team. His. He got, you know, his happiness from I want to get this gun right and then I'm going to get to the next gun and then I'm going to get to the next gun. And you know, he probably had, you know, 50 guns that he'd gone through in the years buying and selling them and doing that thing. But, you know, that being said, you know, he had some guns that were slower, you know. Yeah, he had the point of impact jacked up. And then, you know, at one time I remember him giving me a TM1 Perazzi and it was like a lightning bolt and.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Oh, yeah.
Zach Nini
How high does this thing shoot? Because like I literally came up to the back and blew it up and he's like, oh, it shoots about 60, 40. And I'm like, no way. Because the way I was, was turning in with that gun. It was pushing, you know, it was pushing through the targets really, really well.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Yeah.
Zach Nini
You mentioned weight, Ricky. I want to touch on that for a second. Balance wise.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Oh, that type of weight. I thought you were talking.
Zach Nini
No, not that type of way. Balance wise. Do you think there's a good spot to keep the weight of the gun? Like, are you more in between the hands kind of person, more back weighted?
Richard Marshall Jr.
I like it between the hands, you know, and that way when you're moving, everything moves together versus if you have a butt heavy, the stock, heavy weight, then it's, it's, it's real whippy. If you have the barrel heavyweight, then it's, it's real luggage. Trying to, you know, sluggish, trying to get to the, to the target. So if it's between the hands, because when we're shooting, this hand's moving the gun, this hand's just holding it. So you want it in between there. So it's a perfect balance in it. You know, like, like I always say, you have a, if you have a light gun, it's going to move fast. Like say the, the TM one. It's a lighter barrel, it's going to move quick, it's going to stop even quicker.
Zach Nini
Correct.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Okay. You have a heavy barrel, it's gonna move a little sluggish, but once you get it moving, it's like a freight train.
Zach Nini
It's like the difference between, you know, a Toyota Corolla and a train.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Right.
Zach Nini
Like you have momentum. Like when me and Ricky get our momentum Moving. It's very hard to stop that. Right?
Richard Marshall Jr.
But it is.
Zach Nini
I know John Slinker. I mean, he's a little easier to push through, you know, so it's just. It's one of those things. And shotguns work the same way. People so understanding. I'm. I'm with Ricky on this 100%. I think if you can balance the gun in between your hands, and a lot of times, I remember guys would take it on the hinge pin and they balance it on their finger, and the gun would sit on the hinge pins in between. And if it was level, you know, that was a good starting spot. Because between where my backhand was and my front hand was, that hinging area was pretty much the middle, middle of it. The more weight that you put in the back, the faster the tip of the gun's going to go. The more weight that you hang out on the front of the sail, the slower the tip of the gun's going to go. Right? So, you know, it's just preference. People, like, go out there and find what works for you if you're blowing. I had a. A d, a Grand America 88 Perazzi top singer shop for a while, and I shot really well in doubles, but it had backboard work through. I don't remember. I think it was Briley or Engelport did backboard work on it, and they thinned out those barrels. They were thin wall barrels. You know, it was really nice gun, but it was so light and the point of impact was so high that I could not control it. And I ended up having to hang, you know, like 4 ounces on the barrel because it was just a lightning bolt, right? So. And it looked like hell. I hated it. But the only thing that I could do to keep that thing, you know, from just jumping all over that second target was put some weight out there in the front and smooth out those barrels. So, you know, yeah, it's something to try, I think people.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Well, and that's, you know, that's one of the things, is what I. What I would really love to see, you know, our listeners, Viewers, you know, everybody out there in the shooting world is take your guns and. And get them set up. You know, a lot of people pull a gun out and don't really take the time to get it set up. You know, I do that occasionally here at our local club of guys that come in and, you know, do a private, you know, lesson, and they're like, well, can we set my gun up? And. And it might take an hour, you know, to get it set up. But that's the thing, is it? Without doing that, you got to remember every time you stick that shell, you know, down the barrel. And I got one sitting here, you know, on the, on the desk, the old target Max. You know, you stick that in every time, that's two or three bucks every time, you know. Well, yeah, and if you don't, that's a lot of money. I mean, you know, if it's not set up correctly. So take the time. But the other thing for the new shooters out there is get the proper ammo, you know, don't go out. I've been seeing this lately in some classes is they're. They're shooting. Well, not hunlos. They're shooting 1250s at singles or 1200s at singles, and they're shooting seven and a half. I'm an a. I. I believe ounce and an eight light 1145, 1165. Yeah, you don't need the 1200s. And that's where I see some. I've. I've actually run into some newer shooters shooting them and some kids that have started to do the. They got the little, the, the yips, the recall flinch.
Zach Nini
It's too much power, guys. I mean, you can kill a target, smoke a target with that lighter shell, I think. You know, I have seen a lot of people use the max Dram honey loads when they come out. And, you know, they're getting, you know, it's the Walmart specials, right? But if you're gonna get into it, shoot light loads until you need heavy loads, and until you need heavy loads is until you get the distance right, you don't, you don't need all that power until you.
Richard Marshall Jr.
For 16s, an ounce, an eighth, or even. You know what? For the newer shooter, starting ladies, young kids, shoot a 1 ounce 8. I mean, it, It'll smoke a target. You know, throw that, that full choke in. You know, I do allow for newer shooters. You, you know, shooting a mod lightful to track. But once they get rolling, I always want to get them into a fold because you got to know where that gun shooting you.
Zach Nini
You really do. I think that's so important figuring out. You know, we've talked about the swing of the gun, we've talked about the weight of the gun. We've talked about point of impact, matching it to what breaks a target. Because so many people want to go to the patterning board and set it up and say, well, this is my point of impact. Well, no, this. This is that point of Impact that you might have shot with the last gun.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Yeah.
Zach Nini
That doesn't mean that this is the point of impact for this gun.
Richard Marshall Jr.
We can try it and get it, but I'll tell you, you need to tweak it. Just that little move and people go, oh, one turn here. I said, trust me. Moving it up a 16th. It all makes a world difference when we're shooting, you know, because you got to remember the target. We're 16 yards from the target. You're breaking it at 25, 30 yards, 35 yards. So you want that little bit at a distance is. So. Yeah.
Zach Nini
And I think as much to do with point of impact is eye relief. Right. Like when we talk about a sixteenth of an inch. A sixteenth of an inch of my eye, higher or lower down, that rib makes all the difference in the world. Because I was struggling a couple years ago and I got down below behind the gun too far. And like, I thought I seen that they were stacked, but I wasn't really paying attention. And then as I was moving to the target, I was pressing down behind and I was lifting my head because I was losing vision. So, you know, that happens a lot of times. Guys get behind the guns, they end up lifting their head because as they're going, they lose sight of that target. So, you know, a sixteenth of an inch isn't going to change the point of impact that much, but it is going to completely change the way I look down that rib, which will change.
Richard Marshall Jr.
It back a little bit, but it'll be for the positive, not the negative.
Zach Nini
Correct? Correct. So, yeah, I wanted to just cover some nitty gritty good information for this year's because they've been asking us and we've been doing these once a week, answer the questions, the listeners thing. But you can never really spend too much time on weight point of impact setup, spending the time to get it done properly. So I think this is going to be a short, to the point, get it done episode.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Just quick. Is there anyone, Rick? No, I just think, you know what, go to your, you know, your gun dealer, gun store, you know, whatever you're looking to buy. You know, if you. If you want any of the, you know, anything with the shooting world, you can give me a call, you know, call.
Zach Nini
Ricky does sell guns, by the way.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Oh, yeah? Yeah. So I can get you hooked up, but get something that's going to work for you, not just because your buddy said, oh, you need to buy this and, you know, go shoot some stuff that, you know, figure it out and, you know, give Me a holler. And you guys got any questions, any of our listeners out there, send them in.
Zach Nini
They're coming in left and right. We got a hundred questions sitting in the mailbox. So you guys are doing a great job. Remember to comment, like, share our stuff.
Richard Marshall Jr.
That's right.
Zach Nini
We love you. Keep sending us the good feedback. Thanks, Ricky, for the time. Also thanking our sponsors for supporting us. Remington Winig, Ricky Marshall Shooting clinic, Shot tracker, and the one and only Zach Denini here to serve you. So I think that's it. We're good. And we'll catch you guys next Friday.
Richard Marshall Jr.
See you.
Zach Nini
All right.
C
Hello, Trap Talk listeners. Zach Danini here. And I'd like to thank our show sponsor, Remington. And today I would like to go into what shells I use when I'm training and when I'm shooting tournaments. First of all, we start with the gun club. This is a great shell. I shoot an 1145 ounce and eighth eight. And this is when I shoot for singles and both shots of doubles. The only reason I don't shoot this in tournaments is because I like a little bit of a harder shot, a little bit of a harder break. But it works great. And it's the same speed as this STS shell. So this STS shell a little bit harder shot. Figure 8 wad column smokes the targets a little bit harder. Also, I shoot for singles and doubles, both shots. And then when I go to the back fence and I want to put the smoke on them, I bring out the Nitro 27 Alcinate 7 and a half. It's a 1235 shell. Blast the targets. Works really well. I hope these shells work for you. And I want to thank Remington for supporting Trap Talk.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Hello, Trap Talk listeners. Today's episode is brought to you by winning custom gunstocks.
C
That being said, a custom gun stock is going to elevate your game. Get the same fit every single time.
Richard Marshall Jr.
And I can attest to that. I broke hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hundreds with my winning custom gun stock.
C
I even broke hundreds and hundreds of hundreds and hundreds.
Zach Nini
RIP.
C
But I did break 100 from the 27 within seven days of getting my stock and broke two more that year and loved it.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Here, this is you.
C
Take it or me.
Richard Marshall Jr.
We'd like to thank winning custom gun stocks for supporting Trap Talk.
C
That being said, everyone knows winners shoot winning. Are we doing the N word?
Richard Marshall Jr.
Shoot the first one and then loop to the second one and drive through it just like that.
Zach Nini
Great shot. Shot two. Great shot.
Richard Marshall Jr.
We're just trying to help every shooter out There, no matter if you're an expert or a beginner. And this product will take your game to the next level. Works for any of the discipline. As long as it can find a clay in the image, it will figure out how it's moving and how that shot pattern is going to hit. Yeah. Now in that shot, I intentionally shot high, which is most people do. Yep. So outside the pattern now, what's it say for the correction of that one foot? Yep, that'd be correct. Now in this one, I will smoke the target.
C
If people want to purchase this unit, what's the best way to do it?
Zach Nini
I mean, is it.
C
Is it through your guys's website? Is there a phone number to call or what's.
Zach Nini
What's that situation?
C
Yeah, go to the website. Taking Tech.com and an online store, we have inventory.
Richard Marshall Jr.
We'll ship usually within 24 hours.
Zach Nini
Huge thank you to Jim and Bob.
C
At Taycame tech for supporting trap talk in 2023.
D
Here we have done 37 state shoot seven of the 11 satellite grants we now have. I think it's 241, 242 clubs across the country using our system.
Zach Nini
If a club was wanting to use you, do you have like a base entry level pricing or packages that you advertise or is it based on the size of the ship shoots?
D
Greg, our base level price is zero. Our complete package system, you know, the whole enchilada is zero.
Zach Nini
Zero is a good price. Yeah.
D
The premium members do not pay a pre squad fee ever.
Richard Marshall Jr.
For all year. All year. Can I buy a lifetime membership? I want to be number one.
Zach Nini
Zach, we want lifetime memberships for me and Ricky.
Richard Marshall Jr.
Sam.
Hosts: Zach Nini & Richard Marshall Jr.
Release Date: December 29, 2023
In Episode E54 of Trap Talk From The Back Fence, hosts Zach Nini and Richard Marshall Jr. delve deep into the intricacies of shotgun fit and point of impact, providing valuable insights for both novice and seasoned trap shooters.
Zach Nini begins the discussion by emphasizing the importance of gun weight and balance in achieving optimal performance. He states, "You can never really spend too much time on weight, point of impact setup, spending the time to get it done properly." [00:12]
Richard Marshall Jr. shares his personal journey, highlighting how his perception of point of impact evolved from using hunting guns to trap guns. He explains, "Set the gun up to where you're breaking the target. And then you worry about the point impact." [02:24] This approach underscores the significance of aligning the gun's point of impact with the shooter's vision of the target break.
Zach Nini further clarifies this concept by differentiating between numerical point of impact (e.g., "100 high") and practical visibility. He references Bobby Chambers, mentioning the effective setup at the 27-yard line, "where you want it to be most effective." [03:36] For newcomers, Richard recommends starting at closer distances, such as 16 to 20 yards, before progressing to longer ranges.
The hosts discuss the importance of a “true figure eight” rib setup, which allows shooters to maintain consistent eye alignment and target visibility. Richard advises, "set it up to where you have a true figure 8. You're seeing stack beads." [05:15] This setup helps prevent common issues like covering the right eye or losing sight of the target.
Zach adds, "true figure eight is so powerful. It allows you to flow through over the top," highlighting the ergonomic benefits of this configuration. They also touch upon the necessity of adjustable combs to accommodate different eye relief preferences, emphasizing that even minor adjustments can lead to significant improvements in target acquisition.
A significant portion of the episode focuses on gun balance. Richard advocates for balancing the gun between the hands to ensure smooth movement and control. He explains, "if you have a butt-heavy stock, it's real whippy. If the barrel is heavyweight, it's real sluggish." [15:53] This balance ensures that both hands work harmoniously during the shot process.
Zach shares his experiences with different gun weights, comparing lighter models like the TM1 to heavier ones. He humorously notes, "It's like the difference between a Toyota Corolla and a train," illustrating how momentum affects handling and shot stability. This comparison underscores the practical implications of gun weight on shooting performance.
The hosts offer actionable advice for shooters looking to optimize their shotgun setup:
Consistent Mounting: Richard emphasizes the importance of muscle memory in mounting the gun consistently, preferably using a mirror at home for practice. "Mount that gun 100, 200 times to get where you can consistently mount it in the same spot." [05:15]
Proper Ammo Selection: Zach warns against using overly powerful shells for beginners, recommending starting with lighter loads to build proficiency before transitioning to heavier ones. "Shoot light loads until you need heavy loads." [21:04]
Adjusting Eye Relief: Both hosts stress the critical nature of proper eye relief. Zach recounts a personal experience where improper eye relief led to compromised target visibility: "I was lifting my head because I was losing vision." [22:23]
Gun Fit Customization: Richard advocates for tailoring gun fit to individual preferences and requirements. He shares anecdotes of adjusting stocks and balances to achieve optimal performance, underscoring that even minor tweaks can have substantial effects on shooting accuracy.
The conversation highlights frequent errors shooters make concerning gun fit and point of impact:
Incorrect Eye Positioning: Many shooters fail to see the target properly due to improper eye placement behind the rib. Richard points out, "If you can't see, you can't break a target." [07:50]
Over-Reliance on Numerical Settings: Relying solely on numerical point of impact settings without understanding their practical implications can lead to inconsistencies. Zach notes, "This is that point of Impact that you might have shot with the last gun. That doesn't mean that this is the point of impact for this gun." [21:32]
In wrapping up the episode, Richard encourages shooters to take the time to set up their guns meticulously, avoiding the temptation to overlook adjustments due to cost or convenience. He emphasizes the long-term benefits of proper setup, both in performance and cost savings from reduced shell waste.
Zach echoes this sentiment, reinforcing the episode's core message: meticulous attention to gun fit and point of impact is essential for consistent and successful trap shooting.
Notable Quotes:
Zach Nini: "You can never really spend too much time on weight, point of impact setup, spending the time to get it done properly." [00:12]
Richard Marshall Jr.: "Set the gun up to where you're breaking the target. And then you worry about the point impact." [02:24]
Zach Nini: "True figure eight is so powerful. It allows you to flow through over the top." [05:15]
Richard Marshall Jr.: "If you have a butt-heavy stock, it's real whippy. If the barrel is heavyweight, it's real sluggish." [15:53]
Zach Nini: "Shoot light loads until you need heavy loads." [21:04]
This episode serves as an invaluable resource for trap shooters seeking to refine their equipment setup and enhance their shooting accuracy. By blending personal anecdotes with practical advice, Zach and Richard provide a comprehensive guide to mastering gun fit and point of impact.